Greater Whitsunday Council of Mayors Suicide Prevention report released
A new report has outlined a community-led suicide prevention program that will connect struggling people with the support they need, when they need it.
Mackay
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A new suicide prevention model will use a peer-to-peer approach to tackle the crisis taking lives across Central Queensland.
It comes after the mayors of the Whitsunday, Mackay and Isaac regions joined forces two years ago to launch a suicide prevention project.
They unveiled their Pathways Connect Model on Thursday, estimated to cost about $2.5 million, as part of the Greater Whitsunday Council of Mayors Suicide Prevention Co-design Report.
“I have seen first-hand the impacts of suicide across our communities,” Isaac mayor Anne Baker said.
“Our community has finally been heard through a collaborative process and place-based model of delivery.
“The most unique aspect of this model is the peer-to-peer matching, enabling people to talk with whom they consider their peer.
“The concept works on the assumption of having a wide variety and diverse group of peer connectors all with different experiences, personalities and backgrounds.
“The matching system effectively supports a compassionate, positive and familiar experience or people seeking support by creating connections with relatable, like-minded people.
“A First Nations person can connect with another First Nations person, a 75-year-old man can connect with another 75-year-old man.
“It's about connecting with someone who gets me, who understands what’s happening and can walk beside me.”
Northern Queensland Primary Health Network executive director Karin Barron said the model would have a ballpark cost of about $2.5 million and they were scouting for funding, including from government and private investors, to bring it to fruition.
Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson said they would deliver the immediately achievable report recommendations as funding became available.
Mackay Hospital and Health Service’s Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Service Division operations director Stephanie Zweers said the customisable approach would help keep people out of hospital and connect them to suitable mental health support.
Greater Whitsunday Communities’ steering committee member Carol Norris said the community-based peer connectors, who will run the PCM, will be trained in mental health.
The report outlines five stages with Phase 1 including recruiting a Mackay-based program co-ordinator and project officer to oversee the delivery of the two-year pilot PCM.
An online application, training for peer connectors, an online directory of services, a 24/7 clinical hotline and a promotions campaign to recruit peer connectors will form the backbone of the pilot program.
The report comes as Lifeline announced record call numbers in Queensland within the last 18 months, with a 16 per cent increase between 2019 and 2021.
Queensland’s most recognises crisis support service has highlighted a need for regularised funding in the wake of this statewide surge.
Black Dog Institute, which researches young people’s mental health, said suicide was the leading cause of death for Australians between 15 and 44.
In 2021, Queensland also had the second largest number of reported suicides in the county with 818 lives lost, 75 per cent of which were men.
Correction: This article initially misattributed comments by Isaac mayor Anne Baker to NQPHN executive director Karin Barron. This has been changed with apologies from the Daily Mercury.
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